Date of Award
2001
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Paul M. Terry
Committee Member
Charles L. Faires
Keywords
academic failure, academic support teams, academics, Charlton County High School, disciplinary referrals, discipline, English, Folkston, Georgia, grades 7 and 8, interdisciplinary curriculum, intervention, math, middle school concept, parental involvement, planning time, preliminary investigation, practicum, science, social studies, staff development, student achievement, teacher collaboration, teachers
Abstract
This practicum addressed the excessive disciplinary referrals and the academic failure rate of 7th- and 8th-grade students of Charlton County High School in Folkston, Georgia. The data collected during the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school years served as the basis of this practicum. During the 1998-1999 school year, the 7th and 8th grades accounted for 46. 9% of all high school referrals, and an alarming 23. 5% of total students in 7th and 8th grade failed academic courses in social studies, math, science, and English. During the 1999-2000 school year, a preliminary investigation was implemented to curtail the academic and discipline problem that resulted in a 7. 0% decrease in academic failures and a 43. 0% reduction in disciplinary referrals.
This practicum addressed the disproportionate disciplinary referrals and academic failure rate through the intervention of a middle school concept consisting of academic support teams with shared planning time for teachers, staff development, parental involvement, and staff-developed interdisciplinary curriculum. This practicum resulted in discipline referrals decreasing 17. 0% and the academic failure rate being lowered 9. 1%.